Swiss voters reject proposal to end dehorning of cows

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS NOVEMBER 25, 2018 / 6:52 AM / UPDATED 6 HOURS AGO

Swiss voters reject proposal to end dehorning of cows

Stephanie Nebehay
3 MIN READ

GENEVA (Reuters) - Swiss voters have rejected a proposal to subsidize farmers who let the horns on their cows and goats grow rather than removing them with a red-hot iron in a procedure which critics say causes pain.

Three-quarters of Swiss cows, a national symbol and tourist attraction, are dehorned or genetically hornless.

Hornless animals are easier and cheaper to keep because they cause fewer injuries and need less space. They do not have to be tied in separate pens to prevent accidents, but this means farmers can keep fewer animals.

The initiative to preserve “the dignity of livestock” was led by farmer Armin Capaul, who has sparked a national debate on animal rights following a campaign which began nine years ago after he “listened” to his herd.

But the campaign was defeated, with nearly 55 percent of Swiss voters rejecting the proposals in the final result, the Swiss government said.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-swiss-vote-cows/swiss-voters-reject-proposal-to-end-dehorning-of-cows-idUSKCN1NU0GS

[Cicada]

1. A genetics scientist is searching for a genetic fix, cows without horns

He grew up on a farm and hated the pain of dehorning. One of his research interests is trying to find a genetic splice to produce cows born without horns. Some occur in nature.

[intelpug]

2. re hornless cows

Just to point out, Hornless breeds of cows already exist.When you see pictures of cattle such as in the west without horns they weren't dehorned, they never had them to begin with. Most all mainstream cattle breeds today are naturally hornless, "polled" is the term used such as "polled angus" "polled Herefords" ect. These polled cattle have been prevalent for a couple hundred years or so. What happens is like any genetic trait it takes 2 pairs of genes to create something such as horns hair color ect early breeders didn't know about genes like we do now but they knew every now and then an animal would be born that never developed horns so they used these animals to establish more offspring that were hornless. To clarify, this scientist isn't trying to produce cows in general without horns but is trying to make it happen in breeds which up until now obviously had no polled lines within them but the science itself has ben around for hundreds of years.

[athena]

3. There is something really sick about changing an animal's genes

so that it will be easier for factories to confine, manipulate, torture, and ultimately kill that animal so that humans can eat its flesh.

Why not just stop eating the animal? Stop paying companies to torture and kill them for profit. Live your life according to your principles.

I went vegan a little over six years ago. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t do it sooner.

[Cicada]

4. People change their genes every day

Procreating with deliciously smart chicks because they are so dreamily smart changes our genes.

[athena]

5. No, they don't.

You don’t genetically engineer your child so it will be male or female, or have a certain hair or eye color, or not have strong legs or arms so you can keep it in a cage all day.

Moreover, we’re talking about humans breeding or genetically engineering animals to make them more profitable for the factory farm industry. How would you like corporations to genetically engineer your offspring so they will be more open to believing their advertising?

You can tell yourself as much as you want that it’s OK to breed, torture, and slaughter animals, but that won’t make it true. And deep down, you know that.

[Cicada]

6. I am a vegetarian for ethical reasons. I support genetic engineering.

Look, I agree eating animals is right up there with Adolph Hitler. I am dead serious about that. Tho I dare not say that with my real name. But altering the genetics of cows so they don’t have horns spares them pain. That’s a good thing. Not all changes are good but this one is. And I think it likely that my sexual attraction to super smart women pushes Homo sapiens toward greater intelligence, an alteration of our genetics. With all due respect I think you are just afraid of change. Kevin McArthy was desperately afraid to fall asleep in Invasion of the Bidy Snatchers only because he was afraid of change. Clearly the seed pods had a better way, free of all our disturbing emotions which bring us people like Donald Trump.

[athena]

7. With all due respect, you know nothing about me.

You assumed that it’s the genetic engineering I have a problem with. I am a former scientist and suspect that I know a lot more about the pros and cons of genetic engineering than you do. If, instead of jumping to conclusions, you had read my posts with a bit of care, you would have seen that my problem is not with the genetic engineering but with the idea that a scientist would spend his energy working to help the factory-farm industry torture animals more easily and profitably, not to mention with the idea that a DUer would applaud him for it.

As for intelligent “chicks”, if you insist on mansplaining to women, refusing to listen to them, assuming you know what they’re thinking better than they do, and calling them “chicks”, the only kind of intelligent woman you will ever get is one who has no self-esteem or self-respect.

[Cicada]

8. Removing horns on dairy cattle hurts them, genetically removing them is a good thing

The motivation for this specific genetic alteration is to spare dairy cattle the pain of having their horns removed. The scientist grew up on a dairy farm. I agree some genetic alteration is bad. I think you missed the humorous intent of some of my comments and took my comment about your fear of change as serious. Knowing the science behind gene alteration doesn’t make you particularly expert in its ethics. Your comments on the evils of procedures to further meat production were preaching to the choir. The most important issue is death. Genetic alteration may cure most natural death. In my opinion you should take a broader view.